The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-03-29
50! WE WERE RIGHT.
SOUL CLEANSING CONFESSIONS AT The
RINK LAST NIGHT.
The City Primsr-The Citizens Convention to Be
Held on Thursday Night Next Raking
Up Old Goals.

at the PUTNAM RINK last night anu NdS
called to order by DIR. \. l.. Cole, Chair
man. at about : O'Clock. Mr.. I. j. Apple
ward, Secretary. read the proceedings of
the caucus ON Thursday night last. which
were approved.
DIR. Cole then stated that the object of
the meeting WAS To discuss the best
means of securing the nomination of
live. progressive and honest men for the
various offices To be- filled in the city.
and To- discuss the merits of the CandI-
dates that might be offered for the places.
Mr. j. III. Merryday. chairman of the
committee appointed 10y the caucus
meeting read his report and the call for
the present meeting. He stated that nj
the last citizens convention, held a year
ago. the hat was stuffed with bogus bal
lots and the. committee and the meeting
wanted the next convention to he free
from all such practices. and that full.
| free. and fair vote should he had for the
candidates offered. He then moved that
this he IA primary meeting" which mo-
tion prevailed.
| c. &. Cochran moved that IL committee
| of seven be- appointed To- regulate the
baIloting and the mode of voting at tine
| citizens convention. which was passed.
! The Chair then appointed as the com
mittee. &. G.. Cochran. }. III. Merryday,
| F. VI. Warwick. +. c. Blanc hard. f. I.
| Lane. NJ Dalton and w w. Randall.
| Mayor Baldwin moved that a representa-
tive colored man be added to the com
mittee and the Chair appointed r. q.
| Jeter as one of the committee.
| F. T. Lane moved that the citizens
convention be called for "Wednesday
night. but Rev. DIR. Dunn explained that
ON Wednesday nights all the churches
held prayer meetings and the members
would like. To attend the meeting: it was
then amended by substituting Thursday
night. and it will be- held ON that even
ing.
Then the fun commenced.
Mayor Baldwin took the floor and in
dulged in quite "A lengthy review of his
administration. He said the newspapers
and great many people We're talking
about him pretty hard. and at this
meeting he was willing To be discussed.
and he wanted to hear all the pros and
cons of the candidates for Mayor anil
Aldermen. The Mayor, he said. wa
powerleos and the fight should
be made for the Council. where
all the power of the city gov
eminent lay. He cofnplimeuted Capt
Gay ON his pluck in issuing a platform
and said that it was a good one. He dis
crIssed thi, platform by sections. elaine,
that the present police. force was an etfi
cient one, but it could he made better i
fifty dollars "A month should b,. pait
the hard worked officers. The re;i-or
he had not closed the saloons oI
Sunday was because ne could get no ON
to swear that whisky was sold in tia
places. He said he was as much Il
: blame as the Marshal for the crowtIe,
! condition of the walk on a certain corner
; because he had not ordered the officer
to- make arrests often aS he prolabl,
: should have done. He was in favor of
4 school house. but. as Mayor, was power
! less to do anything to secure one
|
sewers.
The Mayor closed his remarks 10y say
ing he was ready to answer any question
his accuSerS might step forward and pro
pound.
Capt. John I. Cay was then calle,
for. when he came forward and sait
p that he would stand or fall 10y his plat
form. That was all that IN. had To- ~,
on the subject.
Mayor Baldwin was loaded for game
and he was determined to make TIN
feathers fly from somebody. He sale,
into the City Council. and said that tin
members of the Board had made them
selves CriminaIly liable in borrowin,
81 500 without the authority being given
: them by the voters. There. was no law
for such proceeding. and he hoped tin
next Council would refuse to pay it. III
did not want the people 4
vote for Major TeasoIale fo
Mayor. when he had deIiberatcI
violated the law in thus borrowing tn
money from the bank for the city
Then he read the ordinance forbiddin
members of Council taking pay for thci
services, or for material furnished for TN
use of the city, and followed it bv read
ing a long list of bills allowed Alderma
: Boyd for lumber and for superintentIin
street hands. 800. The papers. he sal
: We're raking him. why did the
not rake the Council for borrowin MOI
ey and taking pay for services and IN:
y teriaI furnished without authority I
> law? He blamed the Council for givin
a city attorney 5000 salary. which W.
: not earned, though he did not blame I'll
u attorney. He complained bitterly tn;
: the Council had not properly treated Ia
u communications; that they merely rea,
/ received them and ordered them file,
' and they We're filed Yet. Here !
u read some extracts from THE PALATK
L News, and admitted the charges II
" paper made. Acknowledged that
: bought votes To avoid being delicate,
p" and charged that his opponents al.
" bought votes. He bought votes and ii
Z" others bought votes. corruption bree,
corruption, said the Mayor. He W.
'e not the only reformer who bought vote
y and signing a petition for reform in Il
T. city government did not imply that
l. ACKNOWLEDGED his administration a failur
A. Getting back to the Councilmen. he n
the members of the Board were all 20,
II men. but as a Council il was a stupe
- dous failure. and closed his remar
to with criticism of Major TeaSsial,